Hidden Weapon

'Completely rediculous, doesn't that man know that some of us actually sleep at night?' Severus Snape thought to himself as he hurriedly walked to the headmasters office. He could have taken the floo from his own quarters straight to the office, but he wanted this time to have a private one sided argument with the Dumbledore in his mind. He knew it would be his only chance to get a word in edgewise without have to deal with the knowing twinkling in the mans eyes. Severus loved him like a father and would do anything for the man, but that didn't mean he couldn't be disgruntled when he was roused from his bed at eleven thirty at night.

Glancing down at the note in his hand, seeing the scrawl he knew so well Please come immediately Severus. Bring Veritaserum he knew something was amiss. There was no smiley face at the end of the note, as there usually was, and he had asked Severus to bring Veritaserum, something he knew the headmaster used only in the most important of situations.

Severus knocked on the door of the headmasters office and entered upon the expected "Come in". He wasn't surprised to find the headmaster had company, but he was surprised to find it was with a young woman. Even though the hood of her cloak was up, keeping her face completely in shadow, he could tell by the shapeliness of her body. She was slim, and even though she was rather short, Severus could only describe her as 'willowy'.

"Ah Severus, please, have a seat. Have some tea also." Severus sat down in the chair next to the woman, never taking his eyes off of her dark crimson cloak. "I gather you've brought the Veritaserum, as I requested."

"Yes, of course Headmaster." Severus said, finally tearing his gaze away from her cloak. He looked up at the headmaster questioningly and held out the small bottle for him to take.

"Well Severus, I asked you here not just for the Veritaserum, but also to meet my guest. Adelind, if you would, please tell Severus what you've just told me." Dumbledore gestured for her to start.

Small pale hands with slender fingers slid out of the sleeves of the blood red cloak and slowly lifted the hood back revealing the palest skin Severus had ever seen. She had a small heart shaped face and hair as black as midnight which hung down to her trim waist. When she finally looked at Severus he was startled by the eyes that gazed back at him. Light blue, almost identical to the headmaster who sat across from them, they looked like icy pools of water. But what startled him most was the intensity they held, and the flood of magic he felt wash over him as their eyes met. She was a very powerful witch he was sure of that, but something about her magical signature was so familiar to him, although he could not place it.

"I've come seeking the headmasters, and your, help and protection. I also offer any knowledge and services I have available in the battle against the dark."

"Who are you?" Severus questioned, still trying the place the magical signature he felt.

"My name is Adelind Lestrange, I am the daughter of Bellatrix Lestrange and The Dark Lord Voldemort." She seemed to hold her breath, waiting to be bodily tossed from the room, or even Avada Kedavra'd on the spot.

Severus' mouth dropped open, but he was quick to close it, not wanting to reveal his shock. He looked up at the headmaster. "Albus she can't be serious, you must know that."

"Actually Severus, I believe she may be telling the truth. That is why I've asked you here, to administer the truth serum. Ms. Lestrange has said that she is completely willing to take it, and would actually question my sanity if I didn't give it to her." At this, he smiled at Adelind who had the decency to blush. "So please, if you would Severus, give her the potion. I'm quite curious to hear her tale myself."

"If you insist, I will of course Headmaster, but I must make it known my feelings on this." With that, he took back the small bottle and flipped the lid. "Of course Severus, I wouldn't have it any other way," Dumbledore smiled.

"Open your mouth and stick out your tongue." When Adelind did so, he placed three drops down her throat. They all waited a moment, before Dumbledore started.

"Now, to see if the serum has taken effect. What did you first think when you saw me this evening?"

"That you looked silly," Adelind answered honestly. Severus had a feeling that were she more coherent, she would have blushed at such a statement, but as such her eyes were glassy and her expression lax.

"She's telling the truth," Severus stated bluntly, causing his long time friend and mentor to smile.

"Yes, I'm quite sure she is. Now then, what is your full name?"

"Adelind Asphodel Lestrange." She answered tonelessly.

"Who are you parents?"

"Bellatrix Lestrange and The Dark Lord Voldemort." At this Severus and Dumbledore exchanged a glance. The headmaster went on.

"How old are you and where did you attend school?"

"I am nineteen years old and I did not attend a formal school."

"Did you receive an education of any kind?"

"My father arranged for me to be tutored from a very young age. He made sure I knew all that he did, in hopes of training me to one day take his place if need be." Dumbledore looked at Severus, but he was too shocked to notice. 'The Dark Lord was training someone to take his place? He truly had thought of every way to defeat the light side!' He thought, his mind reeling at the possibilities. Dumbledore continued.

"Tell me about your fathers plans for you."

"Twenty years ago, three years before my fathers first downfall, he decided to have a child. He knew that there was a good chance he would be killed, and even if he wasn't, he wanted someone who could take his throne when he was ready to pass it on. He went to my mother, who, although married to her husband, was quite happy with the idea of giving her Lord a child. I was born nine months later and although my father wasn't very happy with my gender, he finally had the child he needed. He obliviated my mother and put the strongest memory charm on her to assure she would never remember her only child. He hid me away in his manor, telling not even his closest death eaters about me." Severus snorted. "He made sure my god parents were not death eaters, so that in the event of his possible downfall, there would be someone available to raise me and train me to take his place." She paused for breath.

"When the prophecy was made about him and the boy Harry Potter he gave me to my god parents Merrian and Dante Black, who were distant cousins of my mother. He gave them the strict instructions to have me tutored by pre approved wizards in the dark arts, and to never be revealed to anyone. I was not to be allowed outside or in contact with anyone other than the tutors he had hand picked. I trained and was taught for fifteen years by the same three men. They, and the Blacks were the only people I've ever known, though I never truly knew them. Fifteen years after he had left me there, my Father returned for me. On my seventeenth birthday he murdered my god parents, their children and servants, and my three faithful tutors. He told me that even though he'd never really been gone, it was the first time he'd had his own body available to come and get me. He told me he could sense the strength of my magic and was very please with the way I had turned out. He took me back to his manor, my first home, where I continued my studies with him as my teacher."

When she finished Dumbledore and Severus looked at each other. Severus felt stunned. Everything she was saying made sense, not to mention the fact that she was under Veritaserum. There was no way she was lying. He couldn't believe the Dark Lord had the foresight to predict his own downfall, but it made perfect sense. Voldemort wasn't one to mess around with when it came to getting what he wanted. Dumbledore looked just as thoughtful.

"How did you come to be standing in my office on this night Ms. Lestrange?" Dumbledore asked softly.

"When Father brought me back to his manor, he allowed me to finally come in contact with select few of his followers. Only while heavily cloaked and masked to look like any other death eater, I occasionally attended the meetings. While there I had no qualms about using Legilimency on the others around me. After years of solitude and training, I can say with no modesty that I am a very strong Legilimens. I was able to enter the minds of the death eaters undetected, taking down some of the strongest barriers I'd ever seen. It was there that I first saw the questions and doubt of my fathers goals. I began to think that maybe everything Father said was wrong, and everything I'd been taught a lie. With so many muggles and Mudbloods they couldn't possibly be as ignorant and weak as my father claimed. With all the doubt in my mind, I began to plot my own escape. I occluded my mind against my father, something I'd never done before, and was able to come up with a plan to leave. I began to teach my self apparition, something I'd only ever studied in theory. Then one night, while attended a death eater meeting, I left. It was so simple I couldn't believe it. My father had never even thought that I might attempt to leave him. I apperated to Diagon Alley, a place I'd only ever heard of. I stole money from strangers and although I regret it I knew it was necessary." Adelind looked up at the headmaster imploringly. He nodded at her, reassuring her that he didn't blame her.

Severus began to notice the intelligent glint coming back into her eyes, letting him know the potion was wearing off, but neither man went to stop her, not doubting the truth in her story.

"My father had told me all about you, for it was to be my greatest mission in life to kill you. I knew then that you were the only person that could possibly help me. I heard passing wizards mention of the city outside of Hogwarts, so just this morning I slipped into a floo shop and floo'd into the Three Broomsticks. I spent the day exploring the village before I finally came. I didn't mean to come so late, but I was nervous." She blushed.

After listening to the tale Dumbledore stood up and walked around the desk. He looked at Severus, who seemed to be asking the same question.

"Adelind, through all of this, did you ever feel that Voldemort loved you?" He asked gently.

Adelind looked up the two men questioningly. "What is love?"